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According to recent studies conducted by some experts poor dental health increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Periodontal disease and diabetes are two diseases that correlate with each other. Individuals with type 2 diabetes must take care of their teeth and gums in order to control the diabetes.

Several recent studies have shown that having periodontal disease makes those with type 2 diabetes more likely to develop worsened glycemic control, and puts them at much greater risk of end-stage kidney disease and death,” George W. Taylor, an associate professor of dentistry at the University of Michigan schools of Dentistry and Public Health

He said that treating dental problems particularly in person with type 2 diabetes will lessen the risk of diabetes complications. Furthermore, if the person’s dental problem will be treated accordingly the probable control of diabetes can be achieved because the levels of AIC (measure of long term glucose control) will definitely lower into a significant figure.

Maria E. Ryan, the director of clinical research at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine in New York also said that they have found proof that the degree of severity of dental or periodontal disease correlate with the high level of sugar in the human body.

For the benefit of those who do not know periodontal disease yet, it is a gum disease characterized by the chronic inflammation of tissues that surrounds and supports teeth. This kind of dental disease oftentimes has no indications of pain hence a person may not notice its presence. However this disease is the main cause of teeth loss in adults and even death.

Here are more studies that show the connection of periodontal disease to diabetes:

• The study conducted by U.S population data study in 1988 -1994
  shows that a person with periodontal disease will most likely develop insulin resistant compare to person’s that has no periodontal disease.
• An unpublished Stony Brook University study of people displaying pre-diabetic insulin resistance that links the severity of a periodontal disease with their degree of insulin resistance. “We think periodontitis may adversely affect glycemic control, because the pro-inflammatory chemicals produced by the infection — such as IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha — could transfer from the gum tissue into the bloodstream and stimulate cells to become resistant to insulin,” Taylor said. “Then insulin resistance prevents cells in the body from removing glucose from the bloodstream for energy production.”
• Studies conducted to some Pima Indians in the Southwest where most of the population has a very high rate of type 2 diabetes. It was found out that those persons who has periodontitis cannot successfully control the sugar level in their blood and they have 3x risk of dying from diabetic nephropathy or ischemic heart disease compare to those who have no gum problem patients.
• Another study shows that after 15 months of regular treatment of periodontal disease there was a drastic change in A1C level of a person with type 2 diabetes. This study was funded by National Institutes of Health.

So if you’re experiencing problems in controlling your blood sugar, check with your doctor the possibility of visiting a dentist for probable periodontal disease. If the doctor’s diagnose the presence of this disease, discuss with your dentist the proper treatment and start it as early as possible.